Trial underway for Rochester Hills man who allegedly shot at teen asking for directions to school

Testimony began Monday afternoon in the case of a Rochester Hills man, on trial in Oakland County Circuit Court for allegedly firing his gun at a teen who had stopped at his house to ask for directions to Rochester High School after missing his bus.

That teen, Brennan Walker, was among those who’ve testified so far in the case against Jeffrey Zeigler, 53, charged with assault with intent to murder, punishable by up to life in prison, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Extremely soft-spoken on the stand, Brennan, 15, had some difficulty recounting specifics about the alleged incident at Zeigler’s home on South Christian Hills Drive last April 12. But he did testify about how Zeigler and his wife reacted after he appeared on their front porch shortly after 8 a.m. that day, seeking directions to school. Without a cell phone due to his mother taking it from him the night before because he wasn’t doing his homework, Brennan said he was walking to school — relying on his memory of the bus route when he became confused.

Brennan said “a nice man” in the same neighborhood had given him directions awhile earlier, but he still lost his way. He then decided to try another house, which turned out to be the Zeiglers’.

Jeffrey Zeigler listening to testimony during his trial in Oakland County Circuit Court in October.

Aileen Wingblad/Digital First Media

Brennan said he had opened the screen door and knocked a few times on the home’s front door, then stepped back so whoever answered could see him through the window next to the door. Zeigler’s wife came to the door and mistakenly believed he was trying to break in, and then began yelling, Brennan testified.

Zeigler came downstairs, looking “like he had just woken up,” then moments later appeared with a shotgun.

“I was scared. I was trying to tell them that I was trying to get to high school, but they weren’t listening,” Brennan testified. He said he considered trying to continue explaining, but then decided leaving was a better idea.

Brennan said he began to run, then turned around “to see if he was going to shoot me. I saw him aiming at me, so I looked back and tried to run faster...because I didn’t want to get hit.”

He said he then heard a gunshot. “I was scared because I thought he might have actually hit me,” Brennan testified.

‘Passion instead of judgment’

Zeigler’s wife called 911 shortly afterward to report her husband had chased a black male who tried to break in. According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Zeigler fired one shot as Brennan walked away. Brennan wasn’t injured.

The teen said he hid out in some nearby bushes, frightened and crying, then a few minutes later started walking down the street. A sheriff’s deputy appeared soon after and, Brennan testified, he told him what had happened.

Also taking the stand Monday was Deputy Carlos Lopez, the first officer on the scene. Lopez said both Zeigler and his wife were upset by the incident, though while Zeigler’s wife was “shaking and crying,” (Zeigler) was “more angry than scared.”

Zeigler, Lopez testified, told him he had heard his wife scream, ran downstairs and saw a black male. Zeigler told him he thought it was an attempted break-in, grabbed his shotgun and ordered Brennan to leave, Lopez testified. Zeigler told him he was outside with the gun as the teen was leaving, then saw Brennan stop and turn around. At that point, Zeigler said he slipped and fell, and the shotgun fired, Lopez testified.

Prior to the testimony, defense attorney Rob Morad told jurors that Zeigler got caught up in “the heat of the moment,” “responded accordingly” to his wife’s screams, and “acted from passion instead of judgment.” The Zeiglers have been victims of home break-ins five times, he said.

Jurors will be shown video surveillance of the incident captured by the Zeiglers' home security system as the trial continues Tuesday. Overseeing the case is Judge Wendy Potts, who said it could wrap-up by Thursday.